Faith, Trust and Secrets of Us
by Outlawqueenislife
Summary: -Regina adopts Emma as a baby instead of Henry -The curse only lasts 13 years instead of 28 -Emma protects her mother when Snow and David want to harm her for what she did -David wasn't in a coma but he and Mary Margaret don't know each other. -In order for the curse to break in this M.M. and David must fall in love under the curse
1. Chapter 1

"You're sure this will work?" Regina asks. He nods.

"All is set deary. Snow white and her prince will have no idea the child is theirs." He grins.

"So she'll be mine?" Regina checks.

"All yours." He smiles with a laugh. "Do we have a deal?"

"We do." Regina says reaching out and shaking Rumplestiltskin's hand. "Pleasure doing business with you."

 ***Emma Six Months Old***

Regina sits up as she hears the cries coming from the nursery. She smiles and makes her way to the room. She smiles and lifts the infant into her arms gently.

"Sh, it's ok Emma, I've got you." She soothes rocking the baby back and forth. Regina leans down and places a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead.

The next morning Regina takes Emma into the office with her instead of having Granny watch her. It wasn't often that Regina did this but there were days that she just wanted to keep her baby close to her. She was savoring the time she had with Emma because she knew that if the curse was broken, she could lose Emma for good.

"Mayor Mills." comes a voice from the door.

"David." Regina says forcing a smile. "What can I help you with today?"

"I wanted to invite you over to dinner with Kathryn and I tomorrow."

"Oh, uhm, I'm so sorry I have to decline. Emma's been fussy lately and I'm worried she's coming down with a cold." Regina lies.

"That's alright, another time." The man smiles. "Boy she's gotten big."

"Yes she has." Regina says absentmindedly smiling at the sleeping baby in the moses basket beside her.

"She's adorable." David grins. "I uh, have to get back. It was nice seeing you Regina."

*Emma five years old*

"Mommy!" The little blonde child sobs. Regina's attention snaps to her daughter and she practically sprints to her.

"What is Emma?" Regina asks scooping her small daughter up.

"I hurt my knee." Emma says tearfully. "I falled down." Regina sits down to make it easier to comfort Emma.

"Oh honey, it's just a little scrape." Regina assures the blond, wiping her tears away. Emma buries her face into her mother's shirt. "It's okay Em."

"Is she alright?" Regina looks up to see Mary Margaret standing before her.

"She's fine." Regina snaps, automatically tightening her grip on Emma.

"Hi Mrs. Blanchard." Emma smiles looking up.

"Hi, Emma." The young teacher grins.

"You know what Em, what do you say we go and get some ice cream?" Regina bribes in an attempt to get her child away from this women.

"With sprinkles?" The five year old asks innocently.

"With sprinklers." Regina confirms looking lovingly at her daughter.

 ***Emma ten years old***

Emma had never gotten in trouble before. But lately she'd been acting out on Regina. She had even called her quote, the evil queen. Regina couldn't figure it out, ever since Emma had been reading those fairytales. Regina feared her daughter would discover the secret.

"Emma." Regina says as her daughter enters the house. "We need to talk."

"You lied to me." Emma states crossing her arms.

"About what, darling?" Regina asks in an attempt to play dumb.

"I was adopted. Right?"

"Yes." Regina says. "Yes, Emma you were, but that doesn't change anything. I'm still your mother and I still love you more than anything."

"I just feel like I don't belong anywhere." Emma says growing teary eyed.

"You belong right here with me." Regina says pulling Emma to her. "Emmy, I love you so much. Don't ever forget that."

"I love you too mom." Emma says, taking comfort in her mother's hug. "Always."

 **Present time *Emma Age Thirteen***

Emma Mills had a bad habit of walking in on awkward situations. For example this morning, she'd walked in on Mrs. Blanchard and David Nolan arguing. Something about leaving his wife. Kathryn Nolan was a good friend of Emma's moms and Emma knew she should tell Regina….but it seemed so inconsiderate. Besides, her mother always told her she should try and be less nosy.

"Hey Em." Regina smiles when her daughter enters her office. "How was school?"

"Fine." Emma says with a half smile. Regina sees through it right away. She had a way of always knowing when Emma wasn't telling her something or when Emma was upset. It was like her superpower as a mother.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing...I just uh….are Kathryn and David having problems?" Emma asks her.

"Not that I know of." Regina says arching her eyebrow. "Why?"

"He was….he seemed upset." Emma answered. "Anyway how was your day?"

Regina didn't feel the need to worry. In order for the curse to break Mary Margaret and David to fall in love before Emma turned fourteen. But what she didn't know was that David Nolan had just left his wife. What she didn't know, was that the curse was already breaking. The moment David left Kathryn, the moment he first told Mary Margret her loved her, the moment they kissed, the curse broke. Their memories came flooding in and they were faced with the truth. The one person who knew exactly what has happening, the women who not only took their happiness but their daughter. That's where they had to go.

"REGINA!" The mayor looks up to see David and Mary Margret before her."Where is our daughter?"

Realization dawns on the brunette. They remembered. They knew who she was and who they were. Which meant….they knew who Emma was. There was no way she was letting them near her daughter. She had to play it cool, act as if nothing had changed.

"MY daughter is at home. Which is where I'm heading now." Regina lies. Emma wasn't at home. She was on her way to Regina's office. Regina just needed to get Snow and Charming to leave.

"Take us to her." Snow demands.

"And WHY would I do that?" The former evil queen asks as she stands with her hands flat on her desk.

"Hey momma." Emma grins entering the office. "You won't believe what happened today!"

"Emma." Snow gasps with a soft smile.

"Hey." Emma says with a small wave. She passes her biological parents and sits beside Regina.

"Tell her." Charming demands. "Right now."

"Tell me what?" Emma asks looking at her mother curiously.

"Emma, honey, there's a lot of things we need to discuss." Regina tells the teen softly.

"She lied to you." Snow snaps.

"What are they talking about mom?" Emma questions in a frightened voice. Regina places an arm around her daughter in a territorial and comforting manner.

Regina tells her everything. About how Snow had been her step daughter. About Daniel. She tells her about how she wanted revenge and how she'd tried numerous times to have Snow killed. Regina could tell Emma was both confused and unsure but she kept talking. She told Emma about the curse and about taking Emma when she was born. Snow and Charming are glaring at her and waiting for Emma to speak. But she doesn't. She stays silent beside Regina.

"Emma." Charming says softly. The blonde turns and scowls at the prince.

"This doesn't make any sense." The teenager says. "What do you expect me to just accept your my parents and want me to come live you!?"

"Well...yeah." David says in a confuse voice. "Emma don't you see how evil this woman is?"

"She's my MOTHER!" Emma exclaims rising.

"I'm your mother." Snow whispers tearfully.

"No." Emma says shaking her head. "I wanna go home." She turns to Regina. Regina rises but David stops her.

"Not so fast." He says standing. "As sheriff I'm placing you under custody."

"NO!" Emma exclaims wrapping her arms around Regina's waist.

"Emma, it's for her safety too. Now that the town has their memories back, they aren't going to just let her walk out of her. Besides, she, in all reality, kidnapped you. That's a crime. She's going to jail." David says sternly. He reaches for Regina but a cloud of purple smoke appears. When it vanishes, Regina and Emma are gone.

Regina hadn't been thinking. All she knew was that she wasn't going to let Snow and Charming take Emma from her. They didn't know Emma, they didn't know how to take care of her. Emma was HER daughter, and she was going to protect her. Just like she'd always done.

"What was that!?" Emma asks looking around to see that they were suddenly home.

"Magic." Regina smiles.

"Mom, what are we going to do?" Emma whispers with a quivering lip. Regina pulls the blonde to her.

"We're going to figure this out. Go pack a bag, be quick. It won't be long before the show up here." Regina instructs warmly but firmly. Emma nods and races up the stairs into her bedroom. Regina sighs. She hadn't had time to really let reality sink in. She couldn't start now. She couldn't get distracted.

"Ready!" Emma exclaims just as the front door opens. Snow, David, the dwarf, Ruby and the rest of the town stood at the door way. Emma gasps as David grabs her mother. There was no way Regina would poof out of here without Emma.

"What're we going to do with her?" Ruby asks.

"Kill her." Grumpy answers. Emma screams and flies down the steps, only to be grabbed before she can reach Regina. Snow held onto her daughter tightly.

"We can't kill her." Snow replies and David nods in agreement.

"Snow's right, we aren't killing her."

"You have to let her go." Emma cries, still attempting to get away from Snow's hold.

"Emma." Regina softly whispers. She clears her throat and speaks a little louder. "Em, listen okay? It's going to be okay. We'll be together soon I promise, But for now I have to with David."

"But….I've never been away from you." Emma sobs. Snow loosens her grip and allows Emma to hug Regina goodbye. As angry as Snow was at her stepmother, it was clear she was the only one who could comfort last thing Snow and David wanted was for Emma to suffer.

"Be brave Em. I'll be with you before you know." Regina says cupping Emma's face in her hands. Emma nods and sniffles. "I love you."

"I love you too, Momma." Emma says hugging Regina once more before Snow places her hand on Emma's shoulder, indicating it was time to let go.

Regina had been placed in the jail cell. As hard as it was, she knew had to cooperate for now. It was best for Emma. Until Regina could figure something out, this was how things had to be. But as far as Emma concerned, this was worse than anything she could imagine.

"Emma, I made chicken noodle soup." Snow says from the doorway of the room they'd given Emma. Emma looks up, tears still running down her face. It was a wonder that she had any left. "Why don't you come eat?"

"I'm not hungry." Emma replies in a monotone voice.

"Please, Emma." Snow practically begs. Snow crosses the room and sits beside Emma on the bed. "This isn't' our fault. It's Regina's."

"I want my mom." Emma whispers. Snow sighs.

"I'm right here." She insists. Emma shakes her head, reminding Snow that she was NOT her mom. At least not in Emma's mind. "What can I do?"

"Make them let her go." Emma replies meeting Snow's eyes. "It's your fault this all happened. You're the reason her fiancee was killed, you're the reason she had to marry your father, don't you get it?" Snow recoils in shock. "And now it's your fault that she's in jail. Don't make it your fault that I hate you too."

"Emma-"

"Forget it. All you care about is getting your happy ending. It doesn't matter who you hurt in the process. I read the book SNOW WHITE, I think you're the selfish one." Emma rambles in anger. Snow tries to hide the hurt on her face as she exits her daughter's room. This wasn't how things were supposed to work out. Emma was supposed to be happy to be reunited with them. She didn't want her daughter to be miserable. She knew what had to be done.

"Emma." The blonde looks up from her bed. She gasps when she sees her mother entering the room.

"Mom!" She exclaims as Regina crosses the room and envelopes her daughter into a tight embrace. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Regina assures placing a hand on her daughter's. She can tell Emma's been crying for hours. "It's all going to be fine. Whaddya say we head home?" Emma nods eagerly and hurries to grab her things. Once she collects them she follows Regina out the door and down the steps. In the kitchen David and Mary Margaret are sitting at the table. Emma realizes this was their doing.

"Thank you." She says softly. Mary Margaret nods.

"Em, we have a condition to uphold." Regina says gently. "You're going to come here after school until I get out of work. That way you can get to know….them."

"Okay." Emma says indifferently. "Can we go? I'm tired." Regina nods and they make their way home. Things were messy and this was only the beginning, but for tonight they would be okay. Regina and her daughter would be together.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma awakens to the strong smell of coffee and bacon. She smiles as she slowly rises from her queen sized bed and makes her way down to the kitchen. Her mother is finishing breakfast and humming as she flips a pancake. Emma sneaks up behind her and wraps her arms around the former queen's waist; causing the brunette to jump in surprise.

"Morning." Emma grins. Regina smiles and turns so she can hug Emma properly.

"Morning, my darling." Regina grins, giving Emma a kiss on the forehead. "Breakfast is almost done."

"So I was thinking." Emma begins as she sits at the counter, watching Regina finish their meal. "You're like...my grandmother." Regina shoots her daughter a look. The teen laughs in a teasing manner.

"I'm not THAT old, Em. In fact, I'm only eight years older than...Snow." Regina replies with her infamous raised eyebrow.

"But...on our family tree you'd be my step grandmother." Emma continues to tease. Regina laughs, knowing her daughter is only trying to make light of the situation. "But that's okay, I love you even if you are old enough to be my grandmother." Regina gasps and playfully swats Emma with the kitchen towel. Emma laughs gleefully as the doorbell rings.

"I'm watching you." Regina warns in a joking manner as she moves to answer the door. Mary Margaret and David are on the other side and she sighs as she realizes that she and Emma are running late. "Sorry, Em slept in. I didn't realize it was already 9:00." David rolls his eyes in annoyance.

"It's alright, I'm glad Emma got her sleep." Mary Margaret offers with a small smile. She wanted the fighting to end for her daughter's sake, knowing if they didn't get along with Regina Emma would reject them even more.

"Uhm, why don't you come in, Em is finishing breakfast." Regina says opening the door fully and allowing the Charmings to follow her into the kitchen.

"Hey mom, can we have lasagna for dinner?" Emma asks as Regina steps in.

"Sure, but for now you better hurry up with your pancakes, we're behind schedule as usual." Regina replies. Emma sighs, she wasn't exactly looking forward to spending the day with her biological parents, but she promised Regina she'd try this. It was the only way they could stay together, at least for now.

"That's okay, we aren't in a rush." Snow replies, taking a seat beside her daughter. "What do you want to do today, Emma?"

"Well...I usually have lunch with my mom and Thursdays but since that's out of the question, it's really up to you." Emma answers shortly. For not being blood related to Regina she sure had gotten her sarcasm and sass from the woman.

"We could go riding." Snow suggests. Emma looks at Regina, that was something she did with her mother, NOT Snow.

"It's okay." Regina tells Emma softly.

"Or we could see a movie." Snow says, seeing that Emma wasn't for riding, at least not with them. "Do you like movies." Emma nods.

"That sounds fun." Regina smiles. Emma's stomach turns, she wishes for the billionth time that this was some dream. Why couldn't Regina be her birth mother? As if reading her daughter's thoughts Regina adds; "And I'll pick you up around 5, you can help me with dinner."

"Okay." Emma whispers. "What about you? Who are you going to each lunch with?" Regina's heart melts a little at Emma's concern. "Is everyone still angry?"

"Em, baby, don't worry about me. I'll have so much paper work I'll probably skip lunch and just save room for lasagna." Regina replies crouching down so she's eye level with her sitting teenager. "You have fun with David and Mary Margret."

"5 O'clock right?" Emma asks innocently. Regina nods.

"5 O'clock." Regina confrims. "Now, go get dressed. I don't think you want to go to the theater in your PJs." Emma laughs a little bit as she rises and hugs her mother tightly. "I love you, Emma."

"I love you too, momma." Emma answers before dashing up the steps to get changed. When Emma is gone Regina turns to the prince and princess. She clears her throat, knowing that they wanted nothing more than to get their daughter away from her. Regina hate that she had to suck up to them.

"Nothing scary." Regina informs them. "Emma hates horror movies, she always has. And not too much sugar, it gives her headaches, also make sure she eats lunch before she eats junk food or she'll get sick. She's pretty crabby if she's hungry so I'd suggest getting lunch around 1."

"I think we can handle OUR daughter for a few hours." Charming snaps.

"David." Mary Margaret warns, they'd agreed to be civil to Regina. "We'll remember." Before Regina or David can speak Emma comes back down the steps, ready to go. She says goodbye to her mother with one last hug before following Snow and David to David's truck.

Emma sits silently on the sofa in Mary Margaret and David's loft. Mary Margaret comes in with cups of hot chocolate for the three of them. Emma smirks when she sees the cinnamon, apparently it ran in the family. She takes the warm ceramic mug with a thank you.

"So, Emma, do you and Regina go to the movies a lot?" Mary Margaret asks in an attempt to make conversation.

"On some occasions, but Mom doesn't like me watching too much TV. Usually we go riding or something like that." Emma replies. "But if we do we always see one of the cheesy romance movies."

"Regina goes to see romance movies?" David scoffs. Emma glares at him. She tried to understand what he was going through, even she knew he had reasons to hate Regina. But she wished he was better at hiding it around her like Mary Margaret was.

"She'd do anything to make me happy." Emma shoots back. David looks at his daughter and is terrified to see Regina in her.

"Well….we should go if we want to get lunch first." Snow says. She could tell that she would be serving as a referee between the two for a while. Emma was a teenager and David was stubborn, they were clearly going to butt heads often.

Granny's diner was full of people getting lunch to take back to work. Emma had hoped she's see her mother but she knew that was highly unlikely. Everyone seems to look at Emma when she enters the diner with Snow and David. Grumpy grins.

"You got her back!" He exclaims.

"The witch gave her up!" Dr. Whale adds happily. "NOW can we burn her at the stake."

"NO!" Emma exclaims. "Leave my mother alone." The diner goes silent. David and Snow exchange an awkward glance. They should have known better than to take Emma here.

"Emma is going to be spending time with us, but she still live with Regina." Snow explains as she steps forward and takes a seat in one of the booths. David and Emma follow her.

"Why?" Grumpy asks. "She's your daughter."

"She's Regina's daughter too." Snow says, despite how much it hurt to say.

"Right now we're still getting to know each other." David adds. "And we'd appreciate it if you didn't give the mayor death threats in front of Emma." The teen looks at him in surprise.

"Thank you." She says quietly. David smiles at his daughter. He still hated Regina, and he hate it even more that he had to share Emma with her, but Regina had done an amazing job raising Emma. He couldn't deny that. Regina being killed by the townspeople would hurt Emma, and David promised himself that he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her ever again.

When 5:00 rolled around Regina arrived at the Charming's loft. She knocks once before Emma opens the door and hugs her tightly. Mary Margaret and David come around the corner to tell Emma goodbye.

"We had a nice day with you." Mary Margaret says softly. Emma offers her a smile.

"I actually had fun too." She admits. Strangely, this made Regina happy. She didn't want Emma to suffer when she had to visit her biological parents.

"We'll see you tomorrow." David smiles. Emma nods.

"Can we go make dinner now, mom." Emma pleads. Regina laughs.

"Sure." She answers putting an arm around Emma. "Let's go make your favorite food."

"Can we have apple turnovers for dessert?" Emma asks as they walk out the door.

"We'll see, Em." Regina smiles. "Bye, Snow, David." The couple wave as their daughter once again leaves with her mother. Both of them wondered if Emma would ever look that happy when she was with them.

 **A/N So there's the second chapter! Sorry it took so long I just got back from vacation and have been crazy busy! For those reading Operation Claire I'll update in the next day or two! -Kaila**


	3. Chapter 3

Emma and Regina walk into Granny's on Saturday morning for breakfast. They were spending the day just the two of them and Emma couldn't wait. She knew why everyone saw Snow as her mother (mostly because biologically it was true) but she didn't see things that way. Snow was more like an aunt or big sister (which she kind of was). Regina had raised her and Emma couldn't imagine ever having a bond with Snow the way she did with Regina.

"Oh no." Emma whispers when they are seated and see Snow and Charming walk in. Regina sends Emma a smile, silently telling her it'd be okay.

"Hey there!" Snow exclaims, clearly happy to see her daughter. Emma sends her a half hearted smile and greets her kindly despite her urge to grab Regina's hand and dash out of the diner.

"What are you up to today?" David asks his daugher. Emma sighs.

"I'm spending the day with my mom." She replies.

"How...lovely." Snow says trying to sound genuine.

"Would you like to join us?" Regina offers. Emma glares at her. "I mean for breakfast."

"That'd be great." Snow says. Before she can slide next to Emma, Emma moves across the booth so she's sitting close to Regina. Snow sighs as David sits beside her.

"Mom, can we stop at home before we go out? I forgot my jacket." Emma asks, ignoring her biological parents who are staring at her intently.

"No need, I grabbed it." Regina smirks. Emma smiles gratefully at her mother.

"Thanks mom." Emma replies. Ruby arrives before Regina can answer. She's eyeing the group curiously, wondering why Snow and Prince Charming were sitting with the Evil Queen. But she doesn't say anything in front of Emma. Ruby takes the orders before leaving them again. She comes back a few minutes later with the food. Regina and Emma immediately split the pancake stacks in half and swap 2 for 2. That way they both got two blueberry and two chocolate chip.

"I almost forgot." Ruby says smiling at Emma. "Extra syrup." She places the container on the table before going to take another order.

"Do you order the same thing all the time?" Snow asks trying to make conversation.

"Yup." Emma grins. "Mom and I used to have a hard time deciding between the two flavors so we ended up doing it this way once and now it's our regular."

"But we don't come here too often. That'd be a bit unhealthy." Regina smiles as her daughter dumps syrup over her pancakes, not leaving one spot on the plate uncovered.

"I see why you say that." David chuckles. "Do you want some pancakes with that syrup?"

"Ifts befter thifts wfy." Emma mumbles with her mouth full. David and Snow look at her trying to decipher what she'd said.

"It's better this way." Regina translates before adding, "Em, don't talk with your mouthful." Emma swallows.

"Sorry." She grins sheepishly.

After breakfast Emma and Regina head off to the stables but since it had started to rain they decided to head home and spend the day watching cheesy romance movies. Even though Regina had invited Emma's birth parents to join them for breakfast, she was pleased they had the rest of the day to themselves. Regina was stuck, on one hand she knew she couldn't keep them from seeing Emma, but on the other hand she didn't want to share her daughter with them and she most certainly didn't want to force Emma to spend time with them.

"Mom?" Emma peeps up as they sit cuddled on the couch.

"Yes baby?"

"What do you think of going on a trip. Just the two of us?" Emma asks hopefully.

"Oh honey, it'd be great. But I don't know if Snow and David would let that happen." Regina explains.

"But YOU'RE my mom." Emma cries sitting up. "I hate this." Regina pulls Emma back to her, stroking her long blond hair.

"I'm so sorry, Em. This is my fault." Regina says sadly.

"No! I don't mean it like that. I just hate that I can't be with you all the time and that I have to be their daughter too." Emma sniffles. "I wish they'd leave me alone."

"I know baby. But things are getting better right? They're coming around." Regina reasons even though she hates to say it. "They're doing the best they can. Just like us."

"If there was a way...would you take me away with you?" Emma questions. "Then it could be just us again and we wouldn't have to worry about Snow White and Prince Charming."

"Emmy, honey, they love you." Regina replied trying to avoid the question. "It would be wrong of me to take you again."

"But would you?" Emma demands looking right at her mother. Regina vowed she'd never lie to her daughter again. She wasn't backing out now.

"In a heartbeat."

After school on Monday Emma reluctantly makes her way to Snow's classroom. She waits for all the fourth graders to file out before entering and sitting at one of the desks. Snow was on the phone but waves happily at the teen. Emma pulls out her homework and pretends to work on it, even though she'd finished it in class. But she didn't want to talk to her birth mother and she knew if she was doing her work Snow wouldn't bug her. After a little while Snow is ready to leave.

"I have a stop to make on the way ho- to my house." Snow tells Emma. "I have to talk to Mr. Gold."

"Who is he?" Emma asks.

"You don't know Mr. Gold? He owns half-" Emma cuts Snow off, even though she knew it was rude.

"No I mean WHO is he?" Emma tries again. Snow realizes what Emma means and goes on to explain.

"Rumplestiltskin...the Dark One. A very powerful sorcerer. He can do almost anything." Snow explains.

"Like travel worlds?" Emma asks as the gears in her brain start to turn. Snow thinks for a moment as they continue to walk.

"I'm not sure...if anyone could surely it'd be him. Why do you ask?"

"Oh….just wondering." Emma says as she forms the plan in her head. If she could convince Mr. Gold to help her, than she and her mother could leave. They could go and never have to worry about this town or it's citizens again. Things could go back to the way they should be. The more Emma thought about it, the better and better her idea seemed.

When they arrive at the shop Emma waits until Snow is distracted, looking for something in Gold's shop. Emma turns to the older man and gives him a smile. He almost laughs aloud, knowing the young girl clearly wanted something.

"I hear you're a wizard." Emma says. This time the man does laugh.

"Something like that yes." He replies. Emma checks to be sure Snow is still preoccupied.

"I need help." Emma tells him. "And before you ask, it's not something my mother can help me with."

"And what's that?" Gold asks. Emma sighs.

"I need help traveling to a different realm." Emma answers.

"Impossible." Gold says shortly. "It's something I've been trying for a very long time. I can't help you."

"You have too!" Emma exclaims. Snow turns but doesn't come over so Emma turns her voice back to a whisper. "Please, Mr. Gold."

"Tell you what...I'll look into it….if….you help me something." Gold replies. Emma nods eagerly.

"Anything! Just name it." She practically begs.

"I need you to help me find someone." He answers with a smile.

 **A/N** **So people keep saying I'm making David look like a bad guy. I'm not saying Regina is in the right...but they did send Emma through a portal...Regina just got to her before she went in the system. And besides in this story Regina IS Emma's mom. Also, I might take a while to update again. I have to get a new laptop and I'm gonna be crazy busy but I'll post a new chapter ASAP! Thanks guys! -Kaila :)**


	4. Chapter 4

The busy streets of New York frighten Emma. She'd never been outside of Storybrooke and the city's noise and crowded streets made Emma feel dizzy. But this is where she was told she'd find Baelfire, or Neal as he was going by now. Neal had been on the run for awhile now, avoiding his last few years in the foster system. Emma wasn't even sure if this guy would listen to her, but it was her one shot at happiness with her mother.

"Okay Neal Cassady, time for a reunion." She murmurs to herself as she walks up to the abandoned house Neal was said to be hiding out in. Rumpelstiltskin had given Emma all the details, all she had to do was find the boy and convince him to talk to his father. Emma had left a note for Regina but she knew her mother would still flip out.

 _Mom, don't panic but I had to leave town for a few days. I'll be back soon, just ask Mr. Gold if you have any questions. I promise this is all part of the plan so we can be together, just the two of us. -Love Em_

But Emma knew that her mother was most definitely panicking and it made Emma feel very guilty. She didn't want Regina to worry, but this was the only way. She just hoped Rumple could find a way. Emma notices movement from the house and sneaks around to the back door where a young boy is skillfully slipping out.

"Hey!" Emma calls chasing after him. Emma gave herself much credit for her speed and agility. She catches the stranger with ease and tackles him to the grass. He lands with an _oof._

"What the Hell!?" The kid exclaims. "Who are you?!"

"My name is Emma." The blonde replies with a smirk as she sits up. "Your father sent me."

"My father!?" Neal exclaims in both fear and surprise.

"Yeah." Emma says growing impatient. "We made a deal and-"

"Wait..you made a deal...with my father?" Neal questions trying to let this information set it.

"Yes, keep up." Emma huffs. "Anyway I told him I'd find you if he'd let my mother and I escape to a different realm."

"Holy crap." Neal gasps as he realizes this girl is telling him the truth. "Do you have any idea what he does when someone breaks a deal with him?" Emma rolls her eyes, a trait she most definitely had gotten from her adoptive mother.

"Yeah, I'm aware. My mother is the Evil Queen." Neal looks at Emma in shock. "Well, I guess technically she's my adoptive mother."

"And you want to escape with your biological mother." Neal guesses. Emma sighs again.

"No, I want to escape FROM my biological parents. I want to escape WITH the 'Evil Queen'." Emma explains. Neal looks like he's trying to read a book written in a different language. "My mother isn't evil, she's just made some mistakes….such as attempting to murder my bio mom on numerous accounts."

"YOU'RE MOTHER IS SNOW WHITE!?" Neal exclaims. "I mean I was never in the Enchanted Forest when they were...but I've seen the Disney movie. WHY would you rather go with the Evi-"

"I told you she's not Evil!" Emma snaps. Neal throws his hands up in defense. "Are you going to help me?"

"I've spent years avoiding my dad." Neal tells her. "He abandoned me...but….I can't let you break a deal with him."

"So you'll come with me?" Emma grins. Neal sighs and nods.

"Where to?"

Emma isn't even up the sidewalk to the mansion when the door opens. She's surprised to see Snow and David standing there too. Regina practically flies down the steps and to her daughter, pulling her in the tightest hug Emma had ever experienced. Emma knows her mother's relief that she's alright doesn't change the fact that Emma is probably grounded for the rest of her life. Snow and David finally make their way to the pair and both look angry and hurt.

"Are you alright?" Regina asks, almost teary eyed.

"What were you thinking?" David demands.

"I can't believe you want to leave us." Snow adds. Emma gasps, they'd found the note. She looks at her mother, more scared than she'd been a few moments ago.

"We'll discuss this later." Regina says. She looks at Neal, who'd Emma had nearly forgotten about. "Who is this?"

"Neal Cassady." The boy answers. "Son of the Dark one." Realization washes over Regina as she understands why Emma had left. This was the plan she had been talking about. Rumple had made a deal with her.

"Oh my…" Is all Regina can say. The boy explains that he'd came to find his father so that Emma could keep up her end of the deal. David manages to direct the boy to his father's shop, hoping that he'd be alright.

"Good luck, Neal. And thank you." Emma says smiling at her travel companion. Neal looks at Emma's three parents. He saw how close she clearly was with her mother but he also saw the longing her birth parents had to be with her.

"Good luck to you too, Emma Mills."

After Neal had left Regina, Snow, Emma and David make their way inside. They had a lot to talk about and Emma knew it was going to be a very long night. She knew it had been wrong to leave, but that wasn't what she was afraid of. She was terrified that now that the Charmings knew of her plan they'd take her away from her mother again. And that was beyond any punishment she could receive for going to New York. They sit in the living room, Emma and Regina on one couch, Charming and Snow on another.

"Emma, honey what were you thinking?" Regina asks her daughter softly. "Something awful could have happened to you."

"I...don't know." Emma admits sadly.

"She clearly thought she could get away from us." Snow says looking miserable.

"How did you even know?" Emma asks.

"I found the note...when I came to pick you up. You never showed up in my classroom after school so I thought you came here." Snow explains tearfully.

"Emma, I thought things were getting better." David says.

"They were." Emma snaps. "But that doesn't mean I want this. I just...I wish the curse had never broken."

"But it did." Regina says gently. She cups Emma's face in her hands. "And we have to find a new way to live."

"You said-"

"I know, and I shouldn't have. I never should have given you hope or put the idea in your head. My wants and desires...they've never done anyone any good." Regina tells her daughter. "I have to stop being so selfish and realize….they love you just as much as I do and I think if you gave them a fair chance you'd love them too." Emma's stomach turns because she knows what's coming next and she can't bear it. "Emma, you're going home with Snow and David."

"NO!" Emma cries pulling away from her mother. "You can't send me away!"

"You can come see me whenever you want." Regina says trying as hard as she can not to let the tears fall. After she'd spoken to David and Snow she knew they were right. Emma was putting herself in danger and it was Regina's fault. Emma was better off living with her biological parents. Besides, it'd hurt less this way when Emma saw Regina for the monster she was.

"Mommy please!" Emma sobs falling back into Regina's arms.

"Emma, this has been decided." Snow says firmly. "We won't keep you from her, but this is how things are going to be."

"I hate you!" Emma screams. Regina's heart breaks as she forces her daughter out of their embrace.

"You have to go, Em. We'll have lunch together tomorrow, okay?" Regina tries to reason. Emma shakes her head.

"No, if you're willing to make me live with them then I don't want to see you." Emma snaps. Regina nods. She knew Emma wouldn't take this well.

"Okay, let's go." Snow says ushering Emma out the door. Charming stops and thanks Regina. He knew this was killing her and he almost felt sorry. But now he and Snow were going to be the parents. They all just hoped it didn't backfire on them.

 **A/N so there will be more Neal in the next chapter. Also I read a thing saying he was 24 when he met Emma who was 17. But 7 years is a lot when Emma is only 13 so were going to pretend that he'd only two years older for the purpose of this story. Also I hated writing the end because it made me sad that Regina had to let Emma go but it's important for what comes later. This is still a story about Emma/Regina's mother-daughter bond so don't worry! -Kaila**


	5. Chapter 5

It had been two days since Emma had been forced to move in with Charming and Snow. She had refused to speak to them and had still refused to talk to her mother. Regina was heart broken, she hated Emma being mad at her and she hated it even more that Emma wasn't with her. After Emma's disappearance she realized she hadn't had Emma's best interest in mind necessarily and she thought maybe Em would be safer with her birth parents for a while. But it hurt so much to be apart and it hadn't done much good.

"Regina." Snow says in desperation over the phone. "Tell me she's with you."

"Don't tell me you lost my daughter." Regina snarls.

"She….she wasn't in her room this morning." Snow admits. Regina looks at the clock, it's 5:00. "I went to wake her for breakfast around 8:00."

"That was nine hours ago!" Regina exclaims.

"I-I thought she went to you." Snow cries. Regina tries to calm herself down but she is mad that she can hardly breathe.

"I'll find her." The former queen says before hanging up without a goodbye.

Meanwhile Neal and Emma were sitting on a wooden pirate ship by the beach. Emma and her mother used to play at this park when Emma was a kid, she had some of her first memories from this place. Not that any of that mattered now, because mom had abandoned her and the Charmings hardly knew her. But Neal was different, he understood her in a way no one else could. He understood what it was like to come from a family with a such a dark and complicated history, and he understood why she loved her mother so strongly despite everything she had done in her past.

"My father...he's different." Neal tells Emma as they sit with their feet hanging off the edge. "It's like...the power is still important but the way he is with Belle and I…"

"I get it." Emma says with a small smile. "Like I know my mom has her dark magic, but with me...she'd never hurt a fly. People change, Neal."

"Yeah, I guess they do." Neal nods. "So why are you here then, Emma? Why aren't you fighting to go back home to Regina?"

"She let me go." Emma says looking sadly at the ground.

"No, letting you go would be letting you fall to another world all alone." Neal answers with a touch of bitter still in his voice. "She's trying to do what's best for you."

"Your father regrets what he did." Emma snaps back. They look at each other for a moment, silently daring the other to argue first. Neal sighs giving in.

"I know." He admits. "But sometimes its hard, I still hate that he did that. I may have forgave him but I'll never forget." Emma nods.

"My mother doesn't regret her past because it got her me." Emma tells her friend. "She doesn't even regret making me go live with the Charmings."

"Em," The two teens turn to see the mayor behind them. "Of course I regret it." Neal gives Emma a small smile before jumping to the ground. He waves to the two and races back home. Emma sighs, she didn't want to have this conversation right now. "Emma, I love you more than anything in this whole world."

"Then why did you make me go with THEM?" Emma demands with tears filling her green eyes.

"Emma, you ran off without telling me where you were going to anything!" Regina exclaims sounding afraid. "I had no idea what happened to you! You wanted it to be just us...and so do I, but Emma, that world no longer exists and I can't have you taking off like that."

"Your plan failed." Emma points out. Regina sighs knowing her daughter had a point.

"I see that." Regina says. "You have to go back."

"If you make me go back, I'll never forgive you." Emma threatens.

"Emma, they won't let me take you home with me. They're your parents." Regina replies repeating the words that Emma's biological father had said the night Emma disappeared.

"You don't really think that." Emma accuses, knowing when her mother was lying. "Why aren't you fighting for me!?"

"This is me fighting for you." Regina sighs sadly. "Now come on, we have to get you home."

Snow and Charming let out a sigh of relief when Emma and Regina enter the loft. Emma storms past them, despite their attempt to hug her. She mutters something neither of them catch but both know they probably don't want to know. They look at Regina's face and can see the devastation. She looked so broken and they knew it was because Emma had pulled away from her. Charming says something about checking on Emma and disappears out of the room.

"You found her." Snow points out.

"I did." Regina confirms quietly. "Next time check castle. The wooden ship at the park." Snow nods with a small but grateful smile. Regina's face cracks and suddenly tears slip from her eyes.

"Regina…" Snow doesn't know what to say.

"And if she...if it storms at night she'll wake up. She hates thunder." Regina is full on bawling now. "You have...have to make sure you make her hot chocolate wit-with cinnamon, it'll put her back to sleep. Sh-she likes to sleep in bu-but don't let it happen to-to often. Her fav-favorite food is lasagna. She...she sleeps with her ba-baby blanket even though, even though she won't a-admit it an-and she-" By now Regina can't talk. Snow surprises both of them by hugging the older women.

"I'll take care of her." Snow promises. Regina nods and pulls away. She wipes the tears away and clears her throat.

"Thank you."

A week later Emma had started to accept the fact that she wasn't going to live with Regina anymore. At least not right now. But that didn't mean she was going to just start playing happy family with Snow and Charming. In fact she was even more cold to them. Her only comfort was Neal. The two had gotten to be best friends and spent most of their time at the park talking. Neal and his father were working on their relationship and Neal liked to tell Emma about it. He also listened to her childhood stories about Regina.

"She used to sing to me." Emma would say.

"My father, Belle and I went to the beach." Neal would answer. The bonded over broken hearts and damaged pasts. Either way, the started leaning on each other. Without her mother around, Emma felt like Neal was all she had.

"What if things are never the same?" Emma asks the older teen one day.

"They won't." Neal says simply. "But that doesn't mean they have to be worse. Give change a chance."

Emma enters the loft and nearly passes out when she sees her mother sitting there with Snow and David. Why was she here? What was wrong? Emma could only imagine that it was going to be bad. Maybe her mother was giving Snow and David all rights to Emma. Would she do that? Did David and Snow make her? As if reading her thoughts Regina finally breaks the silence.

"It's okay Emma, but we need to talk." Emma nods and crosses the room to join the three adults at the kitchen table. "Emma my mother has found her way here."

"Okay…" Emma says looking at her mother for answers.

"She's a dangerous and cruel witch." Snow explains. Emma rolls her eyes. Snow thought everyone with magic was cruel and dangerous.

"She is." Regina confirms looking seriously at her daughter. "She believes love is weakness and she'll destroy it...given the chance."

"What does this have to do with me?" Emma asks in confusion.

"She'll go after you." David answers. "Because Regina...loves you."

"We can't protect you from her." Snow admits. Emma feels hopeful despite the terrifying situation.

"We've all talked." David says. "And we all agree, you'll be safest with Regina."

"I get to go home!?" Emma asks trying to hide her eagerness but failing.

"You do." Regina gives a small smile. "I will keep you safe from her." Emma leaps into her mother's lap and hugs her tightly.

"I know you will, Mommy. And I'm sorry I've been so mean to you." Emma says.

"It's okay my darling. Grab your things, we should head home. I've placed a protection spell around the house as well as one here." Regina answers. Emma nods and moves from her mother's embrace to grab the few things she'll need. Snow and David look worried. "I'll protect her, don't worry."

"I know this is her best chance." Snow says in a shaky voice. "But after what Cora did to Daniel...what if she hurts our daughter?"

"I won't let her." Regina says in a firm voice. Snow and David nod, even if they hated to admit it, they trusted Emma's life with Regina.

"I'm ready." Emma announce walking into the room. Regina smiles half heatedly. As happy as she was to have her daughter back, she was also petrified. Her mother was a cold woman and Emma had no idea what they could be up against.

 **A/N So Cora will be in the next chapter...any suggestions or predictions as to what will happen? -Kaila**


	6. Chapter 6

Regina and Emma spent the evening baking. It was always a way for Regina to destress and Emma was never one to turn down desserts. Especially if her mother made them. For Regina, her favorite time to bake was at night, which Emma liked because then she got a midnight snack. It was the one time when Regina broke her own rules. She not only let Emma stay up much later than normal but she also let her eat a very unhealthy amount of sugar. But it didn't happen often and these were times Emma and Regina loved to enjoy together.

"So, Cora…." Emma says sitting on the counter liking a spoon covered in brownie batter.

"What about her?" Regina asks.

"Does she have a heart? I mean like physically." Emma asks.

"Not in her." Regina says handing Emma a towel to wipe the chocolate off her face. "It's in my vault, where it can be kept safe."

"Maybe she wouldn't be so bad if she had it in." Emma thinks. Regina ponders this for a moment.

"She'd never agree." Regina answers. "But then again, we've never agreed on much."

"Worth a shot." Emma smiles. "Besides, I'm not afraid. She won't hurt me if you're here." Regina smiles. Even if Regina had her doubts, she was glad Emma had such faith in her. "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Would you love me more if I was biologically yours? Like if I was you and Daniel's daughter?" Emma asks so calmly that Regina nearly gasps out loud.

"Emma Elizabeth Mills." The mayor says sternly but warmly. "Nothing in this world, or any world for that matter, would ever make me love you less. I love you more than anything, blood or not. You are MY daughter, I raised you and I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Sure I WISH I was your mother biologically, but that doesn't mean I'd love you more if I was." Emma nods, satisfied with this answer.

"I have another question." Emma begins. "How come you never found love again?"

"Truthfully?" Emma nods. "Well, I guess I was afraid. Once, a very long time ago, Tinkerbell told me I was destined to be with a man. She led me to this tavern...but I never went in. I chose the path of evil instead."

"What was the name of this man?" Emma questions. Regina looks at Emma and Emma can see a bit of regret in her mother's eyes.

"I don't know." Regina admits. "I never even saw his face...just his arm, well his forearm. And his tattoo of a lion."

"We have to find him!" Emma exclaims. Regina laughs at her daughter's eagerness.

"Emma honey it was decades ago and besides it's not like he's the only person in the realms with that tattoo." Regina explains gently as a timer goes off. Regina moves across the kitchen for a moment in order to remove the food from the oven and set it to cool.

"If we did find him." Emma continues after thinking for a moment. "Would you consider it." Regina sighs, knowing her daughter isn't going to give this.

"I'd CONSIDER it." Regina clarifies. Emma grins. She was determined now. Once they figured things out with her grandfather she was going to find her mom's soulmate.

Emma awakens the next morning to the sound of someone in the kitchen. She looks at the clock and wonders why her mother was awake at 6 AM on a Saturday. That was early even for Regina. Groaning Emma decides she isn't going to fall back to sleep so she slips on her robe and slippers and heads out the door. To her surprise when she passes her mother's room she hears her mom's soft snoring. Emma knows she should wake her mother and warn her, but Emma was curious and too stubborn for that. She quietly passes her mom's door and sneaks down the steps. She cautiously pops her head into the kitchen. An elderly woman was searching the cupboards. Emma wonders what she's looking for. This had to be Cora, but she looked harmless.

"Here goes nothing." Emma whispers to herself. She clears her throat and the intruder turns in surprise. Emma had obviously startled her. "Can I help you?"

"You're Emma." The women states taking in the appearance of the teenager. Emma nods. "I suppose that makes me your grandmother."

"Hello Cora." Emma says stepping farther into the room.

"You're not afraid." Again she words it as a statement and not a question.

"No. I'm not." Emma answers honestly. "Because my mother would murder you if you so much as laid a finger on me. And besides, something tells me you're here to win her over and that won't happen if you hurt me." Cora looks at Emma in shock. She sounded so much like Regina. Cora chuckles a little.

"I'm impressed." The queen of hearts says. The two turn when they hear footsteps. Regina practically flies down the stairs and pushes Emma behind her protectively. Emma has no time to protest or to even say a word.

"Stay away from my daughter." Regina snarls. Cora smiles.

"Don't worry dear I'm not here to hurt her." Cora replies. Regina doesn't move. She didn't trust her mother and she sure as hell didn't trust her around Emma. The last time Regina let her mother get close to someone she loved he ended up dead.

"Get out." Regina demands.

"Mom," Emma speaks up. "I'm okay, she was just talking to me."

"Emma, you don't have any idea what this woman is capable of." Regina tries to reason with her daughter as she turns to face her. "I know what she says, but I also know how easily she can manipulate people and I refuse to take that risk. I won't put you in danger."

"But-" Regina cuts her daughter off.

"Emma, I need you to trust me okay?" Emma nods at her mother. "Go upstairs until I come get you." Emma knows Regina was trying to protect her and even if Emma thought she didn't need to be protected she listened. Regina pulls Emma into a hug to reassure them both. Emma sighs and reluctantly makes her way to her bedroom where Regina had placed a protection spell, not that it'd help considering Cora had broken the one around the house, but t least it would stall the elder witch.

"You need to leave." Regina says again turning to once again face the woman who gave birth to her.

"Regina, please just, hear me out." Cora begs. Regina has never heard her mother sound so desperate but she isn't going to fall for it. "If you still want me gone I'll leave and never come back, but just let me talk."

"Like you 'just talked' to Daniel." Regina snaps causing the older woman to flinch. "No. I won't do it again."

"What do I have to do in order for you to just listen?" Cora demands. Regina thinks back to her conversation with Emma.

"Put your heart back in." Regina says firmly. "Do it, and I'll listen. I won't promise anything, but if you put your heart in I'll listen."

"But I-" Regina doesn't let her mother argue.

"That's my condition. Do it or we don't talk." Cora looks at her daughter, really looks at her, and is surprised to see how strong she is. It makes Cora proud and if her heart was in she was sure it'd be swelling. Cora nods.

"Okay, I'll do it. I'll put my heart in."

 **A/N I hope you all ship OUTLAWQUEEN because they're my babies and Robin will be in this later! -Kaila**


	7. Chapter 7

Regina knew when she opened the door that the Charmings would be on the other side. It had been a week since Cora had put her heart back in and Regina couldn't have been happier with the results. It turned out she and Emma were enough for Cora. With her heart in her evil and power hungry ways evaporated and were replaced with something much stronger; love. But of course Snow and David weren't going to see things that way. They weren't going to believe that the queen of hearts was an amazing grandmother and was making up for her past the same way Regina was.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Regina smirks opening the door and letting in Emma's birth parents. "What can I do for you?"

"We're here for Emma." Snow says without much emotion. Regina could tell the princess was one snide comment away from snapping.

"You obviously haven't kept your word and protected her. Ruby saw you and our daughter with Cora." David adds, he isn't hiding his anger at all.

"Emma is perfectly safe, as a matter of fact she loves having Cora here. My mother put her heart in and I think you'd be surprised by her transformation." Regina calmly replies just as Emma and Cora enter from the kitchen.

"Mom, can we make some popcorn?" the always hungry teen asks hopefully.

"Sure honey." Regina smiles.

"You can make it at home." Snow tells Emma. "Grab your coat and let's go."

"You aren't really going to try that again are you?" Emma asks with the most Regina voice Snow had ever heard. Sometimes she forgot that Emma wasn't actually Regina's daughter and that scared the Hell out of her.

"Emma." David warns. "Listen to your mother." Emma turns to Regina with pleading eyes, begging her mother to fight for her. Regina won't make the same mistake twice, she'd already let Emma go once and it only left them both heartbroken.

"Snow, David, Emma isn't going anywhere." Regina firmly states while placing an arm around Emma.

"We won't let our daughter around _her._ " Snow sneers. "How can YOU let her around Emma? After Daniel?"

"I'm not going to hurt Emma." Cora speaks up for the first time.

"You won't have a chance." David says reaching for Emma. Emma pulls away so fast she nearly hits David in the process. "Emma!"

"Do not touch my daughter." Regina warns.

"She's mine!" Snow exclaims. "You took her from me!"

"No. I did not." Regina growls. "You sent an innocent baby into a world you knew NOTHING about! And yes I was the one who sent you there but you had the chance to keep Emma. You were just so focused on the curse breaking you were willing let your only child grow up all alone. If I hadn't adopted her I'm sure another couple would have. So tell me, Snow, what's the difference?" Emma looks at her mother with such admiration that David finally gets it. Emma was Regina's daughter and even if he hated to admit, Regina was a good mother. They had done this to themselves, they had sent Emma here, they had let her go once and now they had to do it again. They had to give her her best chance, and once again it would not be with them.

"She's right." David finally says. Regina and Emma look at him in shock. "Snow, we can't take her. It wouldn't be right."

"But she's our daughter." Snow whispers tearfully even though deep down she knows its true.

"She's her daughter too." David replies softly. "And if we keep taking her away from the only happiness she's ever know we'll never have the chance to be part of her life. We have to let her come to us and we have to understand that she's Regina's daughter. As much as it hurts we have to put Emma's feelings first, the way Regina has been doing for thirteen years."

"David…" Regina begins tearfully. "Thank you."

"Just...take care of her." Snow says, agreeing with her husband. "And, Emma, our door is always open."

"I know." Emma smiles stepping away from Regina to hug her birth parents. "And just because I don't want to live with you doesn't mean I don't want to get to know. Even if at first I didn't want you in my life, I think I was just afraid. But if you guys are willing to let me be with my mom, maybe this won't be so bad. Maybe we can do dinner at Granny's or go to the movies once in a while." Snow and Charming nod.

"We'd like that." David smiles.

Later that night, Emma comes down stairs to hear her mother and Cora talking about Robin Hood. Cora was apologizing for convincing a man to impersonate him back in the Enchanted Forest. To her surprise, it made Regina laugh. It was a nice sound to hear. Emma sits on the steps for a few more minutes before she finally joins her family in the living area. Her grandmother slides over so that Emma can sit between them.

"So, Emma, help me convince your mother that we should find her soulmate." Cora says. Regina laughs lightly.

"Don't turn my daughter against me." She jokes.

"Mom, grandma is right." Emma replies. Regina shakes her head, knowing deep down she wanted to find him as well.

"What if he's not in Storybrooke?" Regina asks them. Emma and Cora share a smile and Regina knows this isn't the first time they thought of this.

"We may or may not have a way to the Enchanted Forest." Emma grins mischievously. Regina groans. It shouldn't surprise her that they had thought this all through.

"What am I supposed to say!? 'Hey I'm the Evil Queen and your soulmate please return home to a completely different realm with me?!'" Regina asks causing her mother and daughter to laugh. After a moment Cora grows serious.

"You'll know what to say when you see him." She insists. Regina looks at her daughter who's pouty lip always won her over, and her mother who looked so desperate to make things right.

"I suppose we should search Storybrooke first." Regina gives in causing Emma and Cora to cheer. "But for tonight let's just appreciate that we're all together and that it isn't going to change."

"Yes, I agree." Cora grins. They decide to watch a movie. Emma snuggles into her mother's side. The movie is only halfway over when Regina looks down to see that Emma is asleep. For a moment she looks just like she did as a toddler, minus the thumb sucking. She smiles at her daughter and is met with a bittersweet feeling. Emma was such an amazing child and Regina was so proud of who she was growing up to be, but that also meant that Emma was growing up. She'd always be Regina's little princess but Regina wasn't ready for her to get older and to have a life of her own. She wishes she could freeze time, again and stop Emma from growing. But that was out of the question and Emma deserved more than that.

"I'm proud of you." Cora whispers as not to disturb Emma. "You are an amazing mother, I'm sorry you didn't have a very good precedent to follow."

"Mother," Regina quietly sighs. "I wish we could go back too, but things work out for a reason. As much as it hurt me when you used magic on me and as heartbroken as I was when Daniel died...if those things hadn't happened I wouldn't have my daughter."

"She loves you so much." Cora smiles. "I envy your relationship with her." Regina gives her mother a sad smile. There's nothing she can say to fix things, the best they can do it live for the future and move on from their tragic past.

 **A/N: Not sure how much longer this will be, but there's at least three more chapters coming! Also I hope you're all okay with Cora turning good in this. In the next chapter we meet Robin Hood :D I'm sorry for those who don't like him, and I thought about writing Graham in, but I've never written him and I was afraid to mess this up. Plus Emma was with Graham on the show and it would have felt weird in this, with her being Regina's daughter. But perhaps I could write a separate Graham/Regina story? -Kaila**


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey!" Emma smiles sliding into the booth across from Snow and Charming. She'd called and asked if they wanted to have dinner, Regina had admittedly suggested it but Emma thought it was a good idea too.

"Hey, Emma." Snow smiles she sees the teen. "We're glad you invited us. How's Regina?" Even though Emma knows she's only asking to be polite she actually was hoping for this question. Maybe the could help with Operation Soulmate.

"She's okay...but still no luck." Emma replies vaguely.

"Luck with what?" Charming asks as Ruby appears with their drinks. She takes their orders before disappearing back to the kitchen.

"My mother is looking for someone." Emma says after Ruby leaves. "Her soulmate."

"Daniel?" Snow asks confused. Emma shakes her head.

"No, she doesn't even know his name. Tinkerbell, the fairy, found her once after she married your father. I guess mom was pretty sad at the time and so Tinkerbell saved her from dying and then led her to this tavern where her 'soulmate' was. But I guess mom's revenge and fear got the best of her because she never went in."

"So…" Charming begins. "How does she intend to find this man?"

"Oh right!" Emma exclaims realizing she forgot the most important detail. "He had a lion's tattoo on her forearm."

"That sounds like-" Before Charming can finish Snow kicks him under the table. She was unsure that this was a good idea. Was a Regina ready to open her heart again? And besides haven't they done enough to help her? After all they gave her Emma.

"Sounds like who?" Emma encourages, nearly bouncing out of her seat. "Come on, you HAVE to tell me!"

"It sounds like Robin Hood." Snow finishes with a sigh. Emma gasps. So her mom and Robin Hood, the thief from the stories, were destined to be together. Emma grins.

"Do you know him?" She asks hopefully.

"We met briefly once." David explains. "But I haven't seen him since."

"We have to find him." Emma tells them.

"Is that such a good idea?" Snow asks hesitantly.

"Look, you guys don't know her like I do. And trust me, I know she's done some horrible things, but she's been trying to make up for them, and besides...this could be a good thing. If we find him they could fall in love and get married and my mom would FINALLY get her happy ending." Emma tells them. Snow and David share a look, both knowing that they were getting roped into this whole thing but both knowing it was the right thing to do. Because even if she was only 10, and even if it was no excuse for all the tragedy's Regina had cause, Snow had broken this woman's trust once. She wanted a mother, she wanted Regina for herself and she really had been trying to help. She didn't want Regina to lose her mother like she had. But it still cost Regina deeply.

"So, what's the plan?" Charming asks.

Emma gets home to discover that her mother had to go handle some mayor stuff. It would at least give Emma a chance to speak with her grandmother about how they would find the man with the lion tattoo. Charming and Snow were going to get Gold to help them find Tinkerbell and then after that they'd get her to find Regina's soulmate. Emma had been surprised but pleased to find out that her biological parents were going to help. But she knew her mother wouldn't like it so she figured she should get Cora on board first.

"So, they want to…..help?" Cora asks her in confusion.

"They do." Emma smiles.

"Rumple will never agree, our family has far too much history."

"But Snow and David broke the curse that made it possible for Neal to get here. And besides, Neal is my best friend and if anyone can convince Rumple to help us it's his son." Emma replies quickly having thought it all through.

"I'm just afraid he could trick us." Cora replies. Emma nods.

"I know, but I think if Neal talks to him, he won't. Gold isn't going to risk losing Neal again." Emma insists with more confidence than she actually felt. Cora nods.

"Okay, I suppose it's our best shot."

The next morning Emma and Neal meet at their spot. She had told Neal a while ago about what Tinkerbell had prophesied, but Neal was worried. He knew Tink was now in Neverland and with the time Neal had spent their he was wary about anyone from that awful place. Emma had to beg him endlessly to get him to finally agree to speak with his father. They had decided not to have Charming and Snow speak to him, they all knew their best chances were with Neal.

"Promise me you'll be careful if he gets the fairy here." Neal orders. Regina rolls her eyes but sticks out her pinky. They shake on it before heading home. Emma knew Tinkerbell couldn't be too bad, after all she's helped Regina. But then again that was a LONG time ago and a lot could change. Emma wondered what happened to her after Regina refused to enter the tavern.

It was two days later before Neal called Emma. He said they had the fairy in his father's shop. Emma practically screamed with happiness. Neal instructs her to meet him at their spot but warned her that Tink didn't know why she was here or who she was here for. Emma tells Cora what was happening and begs her to cover for her. After much persuasion Cora promises not to tell Regina that her daughter was off on a potentially dangerous situation. Cora trusted that Emma would be safe with Neal and hoped for all she was worth that this didn't come back to bite her. Regina would literally kill her if she allowed Emma to get hurt.

"Neal!" Emma calls running to him. "Is she here?"

"Right here." The boy smiles, he gestures to a lady a few feet away. "TINK COME MEET EMMA!" Emma takes in the blondes appearance. She was taller than Emma had imagine, then again she wasn't in fairy form exactly.

"Hello, Tinkerbell." Emma smiles.

"Hello." The fairy replies politely. "Uhm, Neal said you needed my help."

"Not so much me." Emma admits. "More so my mother. Uh, well you once told her that fate destined her to this man-"

"YOUR MOTHER IS REGINA!?" Tinkerbell exclaims in realization. "That woman ruined my life! I lost my wings because of her!"

"I'm really sorry about that." Emma says sincerely. "But...we need you. We're trying to find the man with the-"

"Lion tattoo." Tinkerbell finishes in frustration. "His name is Robin Hood by the way."

"THE Robin Hood?" Emma asks growing excited. "That is so cool!"

"Do you know where he is?" Asks Neal. Tink rolls her eyes.

"I've been a little bit trapped. No I don't know where he is. Definitely not in Neverland." Emma sees Neal flinch for a second. He didn't like to talk about it but Emma knew his time there had been awful and he would never fully get over it. Apparently Peter Pan was much different than Walt Disney had described. "What changed your mother's mind?"

"She got her revenge...well sort of. But the thing is...there is something still missing. She wants love in her life." Emma explains, hoping that the fairy will agree but knowing that the chances of that are growing slim.

"Is that possible?" The fairy sneers. Emma wants to snap and tell the fairy off but she knows if she does then she'll never find Robin Hood. So instead she nods.

"Look, Tink, Regina has changed since adopting Emma and don't you think we all deserve second chances?" Neal asks trying to help his friend out.

"She gave hers away." The fairy replies stubbornly.

"Please, Tinkerbell." Emma pleads. "Don't do it for her then. Do it for me. I just want my mother to be happy." Tinkerbell sighs looking at the blonde's desperate face. The truth was, Tink knew losing her wings wasn't just Regina's fault. She had done her fair share of stupid things to contribute to the Blue Fairy's anger. And she's be going against her own beliefs if she didn't at least TRY and help.

"Okay fine. I'll help." she gives in. Emma cheer happily. Operation Soulmate was well underway.

 **A/N: OK so in the show Tinkerbell doesn't know the man with the lion tattoo's name but in this she does for purposes of being able to find him. Also it might be a little while before I update again because my schedule is CRAZY busy for the next like month but I promise to find time! Continue to review if yo do so desire, I love reading them! -Kaila :D**


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